BATTALION HISTORY - 90th Division Assoc

BATTALION HISTORY

773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion

The 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion was born in July of 1941 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Prior to departure for the Third Army maneuvers in Louisiana, two Anti-Tank batteries from the 1st Field Artillery and the 166th Field Artillery Regiments, together with selected personnel from the 190th Field Artillery Regiment, all from the 73rd Field Artillery Brigade, were formed into the 73rd Provisional Anti-Tank Battalion. The 141st FA from Lousiana, was a National Guard outfit, with the 166th and the 190th FA Regiments coming from the Pennsylvania National Guard. These regiments had been inducted into the army on the 13th of January 1941, and began training immediately.

The 73rd Prov. AT Bn., a part of the 2nd Prov. AT Group, was commanded by Captain Frank G. Spiess. Today Major Robert L. Moore is in command of this battalion. Captain Spiess, later Lt. Col. Spiess, guided the unit through its training days and through all its combat, leaving the organization on the 27th of July 1945.

At the completion of the La. maneuvers, Army Ground Forces decided to hold the battalion intact and season them further on the coming First Army maneuvers in North Carolina. October of that year was spent in Camp Claiborne, La., re-equipping for the Fall maneuvers. After the N. Carolina sessions, the battalion returned to Camp Shelby just two days prior to Pearl Harbor and War. On December 15th the organization officially became the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, (HV) (SP).

Four months training at Camp Shelby followed and then the move to Indio, Cal., and the Desert Training Center. It was the first TD Battalion to join the commander, with whom it served so ably in Europe, General George S. Patton, Jr.

After an eight month training period, including the Desert Maneuvers of September and October of 1942, a toughened 773rd departed for Camp Hood, Texas, the home of the Tank Destroyers. This course extended from December 1942 to April of 1943. Again on the move, this time to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where we enjoyed the hospitality of the Hoosier state and the now poignant memories of Indianapolis.

The unit was ordered to Tennessee in June for its fourth large scale Army Maneuvers, this time with the Second Army, and the final seasoning of an already well trained and maneuver-wise organization. The Battalions excellent record during July and August stamped it as a good outfit with prospect for overseas duty.

We returned to Camp Atterbury, Indiana and impatiently awaited an alert notice. On the 15th of January 1944, it became, "Good-Bye Indiana" and "Hello, New York". A short but busy stay at the P.O.E., Camp Shanks, N.Y. There - inspections, drills, shots, physicals, insurance and embarkation on the British liner "Acquitania".

England

The relatively smooth Atlantic crossing on the former luxury liner Acquitania" was only slightly disturbed by the lone appearance of two Luftwaffe planes which were driven off by the ships Ack-Ack.

The debarkation, cold and rainy, and the subsequent train ride from Gourock, near Glasgow, on the 7th of February, gave us our only glimpse of Scotland. Merry Old England (Probably best remembered by Bournemouth) the 48 hour trips to London, tours through Oxford, Cheltenham and the home of the Father of Hamlet, MacBeth and King Lear, - Shakespeares Stratford-on-Avon. We remember too, the warm beer, the smooth scotch, the quaint pubs, their dart games and the lovely English Lassies. Yes, England was all of these, together with the work that spelled preparation for Combat.

In the scenic Cotswold section of Gloucestershire, near Stow-on-the-Wold, was Maugersbury Manor, the 600 year old crumbling house with its one bath tub. However the new Lords and Earls of Maugersbury managed with the Niessen huts and tents. Walk out of the guard post and you were in Stow-on-the-Wold. Walk up the street and you were at the Unicorn, presided over by Mr. Lee.

Two weeks of indirect firing on the Brecon Beacons Range in South Wales supplemented our small arms firing and Battalion problems held with the 6th Armored Division.

In early April, the Battalion as a unit of the 6th TD Group was given three marshalling camps in the vicinity of Dorchester, Dorset County. The 6th TD Group controlled the Marshalling Area "D" and placed the Battalion in Sub-Area "W" - this consisted of Camp D-1 at Puddletown, Camp D-3 at Yellowham and Camp D-6 at Piddlehinton, commanded and staffed by A, B, Hqs-Rcn and C Companies, respectively. Here our duties were to clean, build, camouflage, staff and organize these camps for the purpose of feeding, supplying, entertaining, guarding and administratively administering to the 25,000 combat troops that were to pass through on their way to the continent and combat.

A month following "D" Day, and having a "Well Done" for our work at the Ds, the Battalion repaired to the South of England for a two week refresher and sharpening of our gunners eyes at Kimmeridge and Lulworth. This stay, on the Studland Range near Corfe Castle, and at D-1 at LytchettMinster, sufficed also to check our equipment and the final preparations for combat.

We returned to Camp D-6 on the 6th of August 1944, this time as the processed, in place of our former roles as the processor.

We left Piddlehinton, loaded aboard two LSTs and four LCTs at Porland Harbor, crossed the channel on the 7th, beautiful weather, and sighted and debarked on the Coast of Normandy.

France

Roster of Officers who landed in France on August 8, 1944

Lt. Col. Frank G. Spiess Major Robert L. Moore Capt. John Maida Capt. Ellwood H. Furst Capt. George I. Blomquist Capt. Lynn F. Williams

Capt. Kenneth F. Lantz Mr. Ward C. Johnson 2nd Lt. Richard D. Hagar 1st Lt. George H. Beckmann 1st Lt. Wm. R. Zheutlin

Vacant 1st Lt. John Sharp, Jr. 1st Lt. John T. McMahon

Capt. Howard R. Emhardt 1st Lt. Thomas M. Michaels 1st Lt. John O. Sharp 2nd Lt. Leon M. Wood

Battalion Headquarters

(0-266094) (0-387362) (0-397811) (0-374075) (0-404549) (0-394177)

C. O. Executive S-1 S-2 S-3 S-4

Headquarters Company

(0-420329) C.O. (W-2124401) Pers. O. (0-1822394) Executive (0-1167738) LNO No. 1 (0-1030635) LNO No. 2 Trans. O. (0-1821637) Motor O. (0-1823037) Comm. O.

Reconnaissance Company

(0-383514) (0-4823328) (0-1170189) (0-1824130)

C. O. Executive Pnr. Pltn. 1st Pltn.

2nd Lt. Walter E. Schewe 2nd Lt. Charles Thompson

(0-1823652) 2nd Pltn. (0-1014884) 3rd Pltn.

Company A

Capt. Wilton J. Richard 1st It. Delbert G. Reck 1st Lt. John W. Snider 1st Lt. William J. Maus 2nd Lt. Cyril A. Trust

(0-415804) (0-1821629) (0-1168086) (0-1823323) (0-1166853)

C. O. 1st Pltn.* 2nd Pltn. 3rd Pltn. Executive

Company B

Capt. Wm. B. Paterson 1st Lt. Benjamin W. Phillips 1st Lt. Kenneth C. Sutter 2nd Lt. Robert B. McKenna, Jr. 2nd Lt. William J. Vargo

(0-304879) (0-1168414) (0-1822210) (0-1823325) (0-1823374)

C. O. 1st Pltn.* 2nd Pltn. 3rd Pltn. Executive

Company C

1st Lt. John J. Kelly 1st Lt. Joseph M. Michaels 1st Lt. Charley H. Von Behren 1st Lt. Nicholas V. Allender 2nd Lt. Gus Sakellaris

(0-443969) (0-1169252) (0-1170235) (0-1030541) (0-1822634)

C. O. 1st Pltn.* 2nd Pltn. 3rd Pltn. Executive

Medical Detachment

Capt. John D. Singer

(0-312128) Bn. Surgeon

* Second in Command

Wreckage of June 6th still littered the beaches as the unit landed. The battalion, minus C Company and part of B Company, landed on UTAH BEACH near St. Germain De Varreville at 2200 hours on the 7th. The remainder of the battalion landed at 1245 hours the same day, on OMAHA BEACH near St. Laurent-Sur-Mer. Assembling at La Haye Du Puits, and with attachment to the 5th TD Group as part of the XV Corps, the battalion made a 91 mile march to St. Elliers Du Maine. At Avranches an enemy air attack during the night brought the war closer. Checked vehicles and guns and gratefully received from the Norman-French who wandered into our bivouac, eggs, crusty French bread and ... cognac. Services were held by a Protestant Chaplain and a French Priest. On the 12th, and 74 miles later, came Le Mans and the first prisoner of war, brought in by C Company. By the 14th the unit had closed in a few miles south and east of enemy held Argentan. Twice firing positions were taken, but it was not until the 17th that action in the memorable Argentan-Falaise Pocket began, and with it attachment to the V Corps of the First Army.

Argentan-Falaise

Into the rolling hills SE of Argentan, near Le Bourg St. Leonard, the 773rd destroyers took up positions on the south tip of the ,,pincers around an estimated 75-100,000 Germans trapped within an iron ring of armor. For one day, and until the 90th Division arrived, all personnel of the battalion including Headquarters Company, filled in the line. From then and until the 21st, furious fighting took place as the battalion held courageously and counter-attacked relentlessly against the overwhelming odds. As a result of the courageous determination and conspicuous heroism, so often displayed by each member, the 773rd was awarded the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION.

Losses inflicted on the enemy were staggering, and the organization had accounted for forty-one enemy tanks, eighty-two other vehicles of various types and many artillery pieces destroyed plus the hundreds of enemy personnel killed.

Close the Gap

On the 17th, Companies A and C were given the mission of moving North to cover the main roads into Le Bourg St. Leonard. Under concentrations of enemy artillery and mortar fire, two platoons of C Company supporting the 2nd Battalion of the 359th Infantry, attacked Le Bourg from the West, as A Company with the 1st Battalion of the 359th moved into town from the south. The town fell and a German counter attack was repulsed.

Passing through town, the 3rd Battalion of the 359th with the 3rd platoon of C Company in support, moved NW of Fougy with Hill 129 as one of the objectives.

Between 0900 and 1300 on Sunday the 20th of August, a desperate enemy made a futile attempt to escape SW of Chambojs near Hill 129. C Companys platoon ran out of ammunition and the 1st platoon of A Company was dispatched to relieve them. Nearing Hill 129 the 1st platoon unexpectedly came face to face with a mixed column of enemy tanks and vehicles. At point blank range and under a hail of fire, they slugged it out for three hours. Leading the platoon was 1st Lt. Delbert G. Reck and Staff Sergeant, later 2nd Lt. Edward J. Land, both of whom were to receive the DSC and the Croix De Querre with Star, for their leadership and bravery in this action.

When the din of combat had died down, 8 tanks, 16 armored vehicles and 120 other vehicles including, assault guns, A-A guns etc., had been converted to burning or exploding wrecks.

Farther north the 2nd platoon of C Company made their stand at Chambois. 1st Lt. Chancy von Behren, the platoon leader and T/4 Duane B. MacGregor were decorated for the action on the 20th that resulted in the destruction of 11 Mark IV tanks, 3 Mark V tanks, 5 Mark III tanks, 3 SP Guns and 17 other vehicles, killing and capturing over 600 enemy.

Attachment to the XV Corps of the Third Army on the 22nd, and after a short rest at Chailloue, the battalion moved to the Seine River at Mantes-Massicourt. There Company B, Captain William B. Paterson commanding, and the 2nd platoon of Reconnaissance Company, were attached to the 79th Division. After the bridgehead was successfully established by the 79th and the 30th Divisions on the 27th, the battalion was relieved and moved S and E around Paris closing in at Bernay-En-Brie on the 30th. During a seven day rest and maintenance period in early September, every one had an opportunity to visit the newly liberated and joyously gay Paris.

Joining the 79th Division on the 10th of September at Thonnance-Les-Joinville on the Marne River, meant supporting the Corps effort on the Moselle River. "A" Company operated with Combat Team 3 (313 Infantry), B Company with CT 4, (314 Infantry) and C Company with CT 5, (315 Infantry).

Company C, commanded by Captain John J. Kelly, supported CT 5 as it swept through Neufchateau, Chatenois, Oellville to Poussay, by the 13th of September. Lt. Von Behren was

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